The 2026 Shoe Trends That Are the Most Vacation-Friendly

Shop the buzzy, fun styles of the season.

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Published In Buying Guides
Influencers wearing summer vacation shoes.
(Image credit: tk)
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I'm pleased to report that I have a very fun topic to discuss: summer vacation shoes—the very best category of shoes, in my opinion. It's the season in which function can take a back seat, especially when it comes to vacation footwear. Sure, you want to pack at least one style that allows for meandering cobblestone streets without breaking an ankle, but otherwise, the main objective is cute summer shoes.

This year's crop of summer shoe trends is especially fun and vacation-friendly, so if you have a trip booked for the coming months, I highly suggest you start thinking about what you're going to pack now before your size sells out. Below, I'm calling out seven specific summer shoe trends that the coolest dressers are endorsing, from the buzziest flip-flop color to the heel type that's gone viral. Scroll on to shop the best versions for each trend for yourself.

Beaded Sandals

Is there anything cooler than a pair of beaded sandals with a bikini or linen dress? I'm seeing beaded options all across the internet, whether they are stone, wooden, or acrylic beads.

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Bright-Blue Flats

I don't know about you, but I love a random shoe color. Fittingly enough, shades of blue that resemble the ocean are popping up everywhere, especially in the form of flats. Dôen and Reformation, among others, are on board.

Red Flip-Flops

Another color-focused vacation shoe trend is red flip-flops, which provide a pop of color to any summer outfit they're paired with. Plus, they magically look good with every color on the planet.

Wedge Heels

When it comes to vacation heels, you want a style that you can actually walk in. Luckily, wedge heels are one of the biggest shoe trends of the season, and walking up and down the stairs at a resort is far easier than in stilettos.

Colorful Satin Sandals

Satin shoes in bold colors look especially pretty under the moonlight. Just be sure to keep them away from the ocean at all costs.

Elevated Jelly Shoes

Jelly shoes for grown-ups are still very much a thing, and they deserve a place in your suitcase.

Canvas Sneakers

You never want to travel without at least one pair of sneakers, and the most summer 2026 style to pack is crisp canvas sneakers.

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Allyson Payer
Allyson Payer
Senior Editor

Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater arts. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.